Shiftbase, a B2B HR scheduling platform serving hospitality and other team-based businesses, struggled with low activation rates, only 8% of 18,000 free accounts were active. Through a comprehensive Customer.io transformation (rebuilding data architecture, implementing SPICED-based personalization, and creating behavior-triggered workflows with dynamic Liquid code) we achieved a 126% increase in average click rates and 29% improvement in conversion rates in the Dutch market. The new system scales personalization across multiple B2B segments while dramatically improving trial activation.

Shiftbase had strong trial signup numbers but faced critical conversion and activation bottlenecks:

Dismal activation rate – Only 8% of 18,000 free accounts were actively using the product, indicating massive value realization failures

Generic, feature-focused onboarding – Basic email sequences lacked personalization and didn't speak to specific industry pain points or use cases

Messy data architecture – Duplicate properties, inconsistent naming, missing relationship attributes, and no behavioral scoring made targeted campaigns impossible

No systematic qualification approach – Couldn't identify high-intent prospects or prioritize resources on users most likely to convert

Untapped SPICED framework data – Had recently collected rich discovery data (Situation, Pain, Impact, Critical Event, Decision) but weren't leveraging it in automation

With trial-to-paid conversion lagging and most free users churning without experiencing value, Shiftbase needed a complete marketing automation overhaul that could guide users toward activation milestones while personalizing messaging to their specific business context.

We designed a phased transformation built on four strategic pillars:

Comprehensive audit of existing Customer.io setup identifying duplicate properties, data quality issues, and missing behavioral tracking

Standardized property naming conventions ensuring consistency and scalability as the platform grows

Custom behavioral scoring attributes for conversion prediction based on user actions and engagement patterns

SPICED framework integration mapping discovery data (pain points, business impact, urgency) to user profiles for dynamic personalization

Enhanced event tracking for trial milestones (first shift created, team members added, timesheet submitted, absence logged) and feature adoption

Modular snippet architecture using Liquid templating to create reusable email components that dynamically insert relevant content

Segment-specific messaging tailored to industries (hospitality, retail, professional services) with relevant use cases and ROI examples

Dynamic checklist generation that updates in real-time based on which activation milestones users have completed

Behavioral branching that adapts email sequences based on user progress, engagement level, and feature adoption patterns

Personalized onboarding sequence using SPICED pain points and situation data to make every email feel custom-written for each user's business

Activation milestone campaigns celebrating completed actions (e.g., "Great! You created your first shift") while guiding users toward the next critical step

Trial expiry workflow with urgency-based messaging, value reinforcement highlighting ROI, and conversion incentives tailored to engagement level

Re-engagement sequences for users showing disengagement signals, with helpful tips, support offers, and success manager intervention triggers

Backend workflow integration enabling automated attribute updates based on user behavior in the product

Real-time data synchronization improvements reducing lag between product actions and Customer.io updates

Modular technical architecture making it easy to add/remove attributes from email snippets as needs evolve

A/B testing framework for continuous optimization of subject lines, messaging, send times, and conversion paths

Phase 1: Audit (Week 1-2) Conducted comprehensive analysis of Customer.io infrastructure, data quality, and existing workflows. Identified critical issues: only 8% activation, no behavioral scoring, duplicate properties, and missed opportunities with SPICED data. Built prioritized roadmap for transformation.

Phase 2: Blueprint Design (Week 3-4) Designed ideal-state architecture with standardized data model, relationship attributes, dynamic personalization framework, and conversion-optimized workflow strategies. Created detailed specifications for technical implementation.

Phase 3: Implementation (Week 5-8) Built new data architecture with custom attributes and enhanced event tracking. Created modular Liquid snippet library for scalable personalization. Implemented onboarding and trial expiry workflows with SPICED-driven messaging and dynamic checklists. Integrated backend workflows for automated attribute updates.

Phase 4: Launch & Optimization (Week 9+) Deployed new campaigns across NL, EN, and DE markets. Monitored performance metrics daily. Ran A/B tests on subject lines and messaging. Documented winning elements and iterated based on early data.

Tools & Platforms: Customer.io (marketing automation), Liquid templating (dynamic personalization), HubSpot (CRM sync), backend webhooks (real-time data updates)

Average click rate increase: +126% across all markets (NL: +43%, EN: +256%, DE: +80%)

NL conversion rate: 2.4% → 3.1% (+29% improvement)

DE conversion rate: 3.0% → 3.4% (+13% improvement)

Post-click behavior dramatically improved – users engaging more deeply with content and completing more activation milestones

Modular snippet architecture enabling easy attribute addition/removal and scalable personalization

Dynamic checklist system automatically updating based on real-time user progress

Behavioral trigger automation responding intelligently to user actions and inaction patterns

SPICED-based personalization delivering contextually relevant messaging that speaks to specific pain points

The new Customer.io foundation transformed Shiftbase's PLG motion from generic feature tours into intelligent, personalized journeys that guide each user toward their specific "aha moment." The dramatic improvement in click rates (+126%) and conversion rates (+29% in NL, +13% in DE) proves users are finding content more relevant and compelling.

The scalable technical architecture, with modular Liquid snippets and automated behavioral triggers, means Shiftbase can continue optimizing and expanding their automation without rebuilding infrastructure. They now have a conversion engine that adapts to each user's industry, pain points, and progress.

"Pascal brought a level of strategic thinking and technical expertise to our Customer.io setup that we simply didn't have in-house. His structured, phased approach gave us confidence at every step that we were building something sustainable. The results speak for themselves: we're seeing significantly better engagement rates and conversion improvements across our key markets. More importantly, Pascal built us a system we can actually scale and optimize ourselves going forward. The modular architecture and clear documentation mean we're not dependent on outside help for every iteration. We were impressed by the deep technical knowledge and strategic insight and the ROI has been clear from day one."

Most SaaS companies treat email automation like a broadcast channel, same messages to everyone, feature-focused content, no intelligence about who's engaged or what they need. This approach fails in PLG where users need to experience value before they'll pay.

The breakthrough came from treating each trial user as an individual with unique needs, not a generic lead. By combining strategic segmentation (industry, use case), behavioral intelligence (which features they've adopted), and dynamic personalization (SPICED pain points inserted via Liquid), we created experiences that felt custom-built for each user's business.

Data architecture unlocks personalization – You can't send smart, personalized emails if your CRM data is a mess. Clean, structured data with behavioral attributes is the foundation.

Modular technical design enables scale – Building reusable Liquid snippets rather than hardcoding content in every email means you can personalize at scale without exponential work.

Activation milestones drive conversion – Identifying the 3-5 actions that predict conversion (for Shiftbase: creating first shift, adding team members, submitting timesheet, logging absence) and building workflows that guide users through those milestones is how you turn trials into customers.

If you're running a PLG motion with disappointing trial-to-paid conversion, the problem is often that most users never experience enough value to justify paying. Intelligent automation that guides users toward their "aha moment" based on their specific context is how you fix it.